There are different methods to build solar parabolic dish concentrators. One method consists of the assembly of multiple flat mirrors. To obtain a good approximation of the parabolic surface it is necessary to accurately place all the mirror vertices (eg. triangular mirrors) on the parabolic surface, for which there are different technologies.
For example, in a concentrator developed in Australia [G. Johnston, Focal region measurements of the 20 m2 tiled dish at the Australian National University, Solar Energy, Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 117-124, 1998] they built a high-precision support of epoxy-glass with a parabolic profile. The mirrors were glued directly to the surface making impossible their adjustment after being assembled. The drawback of this method is the high cost of raw materials and the mechanic treatment process.
A method of adjusting the parabolic surface with flat mirrors focusing the focal point [EP 0022887 A1 (Douglas Wood) Jan. 28, 1981] was proposed.
The focusing process is achieved by using distance screws that allow the positioning of the mirror, whereby the reflected solar beam is directed to a focal point. The drawback of this method is that each movement of the screws involves changing the position of all neighboring mirrors, thereby complicating their adjustment.
Another method to adjust the mirrors of a solar concentrators is through a support with multiple bars and nodes [E. Kussul, T. Baidyk, O. Makeyev, E. Lara-Rosano, J. M. Saniger, N. Bruce, Development of Micro Mirror Solar Concentrator, The 2-nd IASME/WSEAS International Conference on Energy and Environment (EE'07), Portoroz (Portotose), Slovenia, May 15-17, 2007, pp. 294-299.], [E. Kussul, T. Baidyk, E. Lara-Rosano, J. M. Saniger, N. Bruce, Support Frame for Micro Facet Solar Concentrator, The 2-nd IASME/WSEAS]. However, the drawback of this device is the accumulation of small errors in the size of the bars and nodes, what will reflect in the support assembly. To obtain a good approximation of the parabolic surface it is necessary to produce bars and nodes with very strict margins of acceptable tolerance if the parabolic surface is to be corrected with some method after the assembly.
The object of the present invention is to provide a correction and adjustment technology to be used in the manufacture of parabolic surfaces for a solar concentrator, to capture as much sunlight as possible, and send this light to the solar concentrator.